
Olivia Begasse de Dhaem, MD, FAHS
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Board Certified Neurologist and Headache Specialist
Mission
Comprehensive care for headache and brain health for a better tomorrow.
About Dr. Olivia Begasse de Dhaem
Neurological diseases including migraine are a leading cause of (mostly preventable) disability in the world including in the USA. Dr. Begasse de Dhaem understands the challenges and difficulties with day to day life and working while dealing with a neurological condition. Over the years, she has learned through clinical, workplace, and personal experiences that there are many work and disease management modifications that can help with function, productivity, and quality of life. She co-authored a concise case-based book to help healthcare professionals diagnose and manage headache diseases to hopefully improve the care people receive by first-line healthcare professionals, Headache: What Do I Do Now? published by Oxford University Press. She co-authored a scientific manuscript guiding on the diagnosis and management of refractory headaches. She highly admires and respects the resilience and strength of people who live with headache and neurological diseases and have to wake up every day with pain or get episodes of the worst pain known to humans stabbing their eyes and forehead. Nothing makes her happier than finding personalized ways to help people with headache disorders find answers, mitigate the symptoms, regain function and quality of life.
Dr. Begasse de Dhaem feels passionate about brain health, optimization of cognitive function, and prevention of disease such as dementia. She is working on following a brain healthy lifestyle herself and is committed to helping people mitigate their potential risk of future dementia.
Dr. Begasse de Dhaem is very involved in national and international advocacy to give a voice to patients and to help support people living with neurological diseases beyond the walls of the clinic. A lot of systemic changes at different scales have to be done. She participates in Neurology on the Hill and Headache on the Hill. She attended and served as an advisor for the official advocacy leadership training of the American Academy of Neurology. She is Co-Chair of the Global Patient Advocacy Coalition and the American Headache Society Advocacy Committee. Her research focuses on getting more evidence to support advocacy efforts.
Education
Medical School: Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons
Internal Medicine year: New York UniversityNeurology
Residency: Columbia University, New York Presbyterian Hospital, Neurological Institute of New York.
Headache Fellowship: Harvard University, Mass General Hospital, Brigham and Women's Faulkner Hospital, Boston Children Hospital
Credentials
Board-Certification in Neurology
Board-Certification in Headache Medicine
Affiliations
Executive Editor, Pain Medicine journal
Co-Chair, Global Patient Advocacy Coalition
Co-Chair, American Headache Society Advocacy Committee
International Headache Society Education Committee and Communications Committee
International Commission on Occupational Health (ICOH)American Academy of Neurology
American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (ACOEM)
American Headache Society
International Headache Society
Selected publications
• Worldwide availability of medications for migraine and tension-type headache: A survey of the International Headache Society. Cephalalgia. 2024 Nov;44(11):3331024241297688. Puledda F, de Boer I, Messina R, Garcia-Azorin D, Portes Souza MN, Al-Karagholi MA, Begasse de Dhaem O, Tassorelli C, May A.
• Begasse de Dhaem O. Migraines are a serious problem. Employers can help. Harvard Business Review. February 2021. https://hbr.org/2021/02/migraines-are-a-serious-problem-employers-can-help​
• Yoga for Migraine: An Ancient Practice with Evidence for Current Use. Begasse de Dhaem O (corresponding), Bernstein C. Curr Pain Headache Rep. 2024 Mar 19. doi: 10.1007/s11916-024-01234-6.
• Diagnosis, knowledge, perception, and productivity impact of headache education and clinical evaluation program in the workplace at an information technology company of more than 70,000 employees. Sakai F, Igarashi H, Yokoyama M, Begasse de Dhaem O (corresponding), et al. Cephalalgia. 023;43(4):3331024231165682. doi:10.1177/03331024231165682
• Long-term open-label and real-world studies of lasmiditan, ubrogepant, and rimegepant for the acute treatment of migraine attacks. Begasse de Dhaem O (corresponding), Takizawa T, Dodick DW. Cephalalgia. 2023;43(2). doi:10.1177/03331024221137092
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• Migraine in the workplace. Begasse de Dhaem O (corresponding), Sakai F. eNeurologicalSci. 2022;27:100408. Published 2022 Jun 6.
• Refractory Headaches. Begasse de Dhaem O, Rizzoli P. Semin Neurol. 2022;42(4):512-522.
• Cognitive Impairment in Primary and Secondary Headache Disorders. Begasse de Dhaem O (corresponsding), Robbins, MS. Curr Pain Headache Rep. 2022 May;26(5):391–404.
• Identification of work accommodations and interventions associated with work productivity in adults with migraine: a scoping review. Begasse de Dhaem O (corresponding), Gharedaghi MH, Bain P, Hettie G, Loder E, Burch R. Cephalalgia. 2020 December.
• Is it ever too early to participate in advocacy? Reflections on a fantastic mom-daughterHeadache on the Hill 2024 experience. Begasse de Dhaem, O. https://americanmigrainefoundation.org/resource-library/mother-daughter-headache-on-the-hill-advocacy-for-migraine/
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